About this Event
AI Finally Explained in Plain Bloody English
Northland Business Workshop — Tuesday 21 July 2026
WATS0 | 31 Hannah Street, Whangārei
You're already using AI. You've got tools running, you've seen what it can do — and now you're asking the harder questions. How do we scale this? Where's the real ROI? What does an AI-ready business actually look like?
This is where we go deeper.
This half-day workshop is different.
Two of New Zealand's most credible AI practitioners — Steve Naudé (Founder of Evalation, Co-founder of Humation NZ, former AI Transformation Lead at Fonterra) and Ian Dougherty (COO of Arcanum AI) — are coming to Whangārei to give it to you straight. Joining them is Andrew Fergus, trusted local IT partner, who brings sharp, grounded perspective on what AI implementation actually looks like for Northland businesses.
Between them, they've worked with hundreds of NZ businesses across every industry, and they've seen every mistake worth avoiding. In this session, they'll cover:
- Where AI actually adds value in your business right now — and where it doesn't
- The three workflows that save business owners 10–15 hours per week — and how to set them up in an afternoon
- Why ChatGPT isn't your answer — and what the private, secure alternative looks like
- Live demos with real business data, backed by sharp PowerPoint presentations that cut through the noise
You'll walk out with a clear picture of what's worth automating in your business, what's not, and exactly where to start.
Session 1: 9:00am – 12:00pm | 40 seats
Session 2: 1:00pm – 4:00pm | 40 seats
Places limited, by invitation.
Brought to you by Warwick Taylor, The Alternative Board
Event venue & nearby stays
31 Hannah Street, 31 Hannah Street, Whangārei, New Zealand
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.